The Boys Review: Glorious Five Year Plan (Season 3 Episode 4)

The Boys Season 3 Episode 4, “Glorious Five Year Plan,” sees Homelander take home a win.

“Glorious Five Year Plan” does a fantastic job of further cementing the growing distrust between Kimiko and Frenchie with Butcher. His reckless decisions make leaving the group Kimiko’s number one desire, and it also damages any shred of camaraderie Butcher has with Mother’s Milk.

Butcher continues to use v24 at the excuse of him needing it to get the job done, and maybe he’s right. Perhaps the only way we can see the rift between MM and Butcher repaired is if using these powers leads to the actual death of Homelander.

Only then does it seem realistic that MM will be able to be on his side again truly. But for now, all they’re doing is making things worse.

Butcher’s powers may come in handy at the last moment against the soldiers, but everything changes when his snooping leads to the real Soldier Boy.

Jensen Ackles’ introduction to the series is an exciting but terrifying moment. We know that Soldier Boy is this jock-like anti-hero who kills and does as he pleases, and he’s just woken up from a very long nap.

Where Soldier Boy will go and what he’ll do is the question now that he’s out in the world again, thanks to Butcher.

In another moment that I have no doubt will play a part in Frenchie’s alienation from Butcher in the future, Soldier Boy’s powers have somehow disabled Kimiko’s after he attacked her.

Kimiko’s arc throughout “Glorious Five Year Plan” is grim and one she doesn’t deserve. Kimiko and Frenchie continue to be treated like pets by Butcher, forced to do his bidding whenever he says.

With each passing kill, Kimiko hates herself more and more for being the same monster that ruined her childhood. Butcher’s actions correlate with what he needs and nothing else, and it’s a fact Frenchie is starting to see.

Karen Fukuhara is the star of “Glorious Five Year Plan” and garners the episode’s wickedest kill with a dildo being shoved through a guy’s skull. It’s the type of extra that brings the wow factor to The Boys, even in its goriest and most vulgar moments.

We can only hope that Frenchie’s promise to take Kimiko to Marseilles after they finish with Homelander is true. You know, if they both make it that far. In a series like The Boys, nobody is ever truly safe.

Take Supersonic, for example. Before we can ever see him make a real impact in the series Homelander does what he does best and destroys any resemblance of hope. Supersonic’s death is premature but easily anticipated after running his mouth to A-Train about Starlight’s plan. It’s yet another power move to assert his dominance over those who feel they can overthrow him.

Homelander is on a winning streak after his famous blow-up at his birthday party, which increased his popularity. And when someone like Homelander’s ego inflates, it can get dark quickly.

With nobody attempting to keep control of the supes, what’s to stop them from doing whatever they want? This is where Stan Edgar steps in. But instead of doing the dirty work himself, he enlists the help of Victoria Neuman.

Edgar tries to coerce Neuman into believing she’ll be safe from Homelander’s anger, but he knows that’s not true. It’s the reason why he isn’t going for Homelander himself. It’s also why he’s betrayed in the end, and Neuman makes a deal with the devil himself.

When you treat everyone around you like property, it’s easy for others to tell when you’re being ingenuine; that’s where Edgar goes wrong.

In exchange for dirt on Edgar, Homelander gives Neuman a vial of pure Compound V, the same dose that was wildly dispersed on children against their will for years.

This change in dynamic is where things get eerily dark. With Edgar’s power stripped away from him and Homelander’s free reign, it’s only a matter of time before Starlight is in real danger and must make her move to flee The Seven.

Other Thoughts:

• Ashley continues to be insufferable, and I’m patiently waiting for Homelander to switch up on her.
• I’m not too fond of A-Train, but I hope he gets the chance to give The Deep a good beating by the end of the season.
• The Boys recreating Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi commercial is one of the funniest things the series has ever done.
• I’m curious to see what powers Zoe will acquire now that Neuman has pumped her full of compound V.

What did you think of this episode of The Boys? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Boys is available to stream on Fridays on Amazon Prime.

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